The chibi-fox's holographic tail flicked. "The enchantments around the house. They're… older than expected. More intricate. Like they've been reinforced recently."
Evelisse looked around.
The candles didn't flicker.
The plates still steamed.
But now that she was listening, really listening—there was a silence under the silence. A breath being held.
She blinked hard. 'Is something here?'
"Not here," Fluffy murmured. "But… watching."
The moment passed like a shadow. Slipped away before she could grab it.
But the unease remained.
And as her family continued laughing, Evelisse found her hand tightening slightly around her fork.
Something was coming.
And this house?
This wasn't just a storybook.
It was a beginning.
And maybe… a warning.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
The morning light streamed in like melted gold, pooling on Evelisse's silk bedsheets. Her eyes fluttered open to the soft, rhythmic sound of the waves kissing the shore below.
